711.4112/172a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to President Coolidge
The Root treaties of arbitration with Great Britain, Japan and France expire next year between February 27 and August 28.5 In view of our agreement to negotiate with France, it might be a good plan to informally sound out the British Government and Japanese Government as to whether they would be inclined to take up similar negotiations. This would dispel any idea that we were willing to negotiate any special agreement with France. British Ambassador has been very curious to know what was going on and I informed him after publishing our statement.6 Houghton7 is sailing on Saturday. Expect to talk with him on Friday. Should like to know if you approve my sounding out Great Britain and Japan. As to latter, would do it informally through their Ambassador here.
- Treaty of Apr. 4, 1908, with Great Britain, Foreign Relations, 1908, p. 382; treaty of May 5, 1908, with Japan, ibid., p. 503; treaty of Feb. 10, 1908, with France, ibid., p. 331.↩
- i. e., a press release issued by the Department June 11, based upon the Secretary’s telegram to the Ambassador in France, No. 174, June 11, 11 a.m., p. 614.↩
- Alanson B. Houghton, Ambassador in Great Britain.↩